Second Chances
by nightmvre
Summary: "And if I'm going to lose you, it's going to be to a guy who is five times the man I will ever be and who can treat you better than I can. But I know with absolute certainty that he is not that guy." / A divorced Tori and Beck struggle to raise their daughter together, but separately.
1. and you still give me the good shivers

**A/N:** So I saw Playing For Keeps this weekend, and couldn't get the idea of a Beck and Tori take on it out of my head.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Victorious or Playing For Keeps.

* * *

_The flashing lights summoned spots to her eyes. The cheering crowd made her ears ring. The majestic red carpet lay rolled out, anxiously waiting for their descent from the car. A look of panic crossed her face as the limousine driver rose from his position in the front seat. Breathe in, breathe out, she reminded herself. Sure, she'd been in the spotlight before, but nothing of this degree._

"_You okay, Vic?" his voice snapped her out of her reverie. Tori nodded in an effort to a reassure her boyfriend, but the deer-in-headlights look gave her away. Beck scoffed and gave her a warm smile. He ran his hand up and down the length of her back so as to calm her, the material delicately passing between his fingers. "Relax, it's going to be fine. It's no big deal!"_

"_It's the premiere of your first movie!" Tori squealed. "It's completely a big deal, it's the big deal of big deals!" Her eyes fell to her hands. "I just know I'm going to do something to embarrass you and the last thing I want to do is ruin your night." _

_Beck took her hands in his. "Hey, look at me," he said softly. Tori raised her head and felt Beck's eyes penetrating her own in a serious stare. "Just you being here makes this night beyond perfect, okay? Nothing you could do could ruin it. I couldn't have even gotten here without you, Vic." _

_A pink tint began to grace those beautiful cheekbones as Beck spoke. There was a certain quality in Beck that was so reassuring and calming to her. It was one of the many reasons she loved him so much in the first place. Tori smiled and nodded, tightening her grip on Beck's hands. His grin began from his eyes and trailed to his lips as he leaned in and kissed Tori._

"_Ready?" _

"_I'm ready for anything as long as I have you next to me." Tori replied, holding her breath._

_ The door opened, the lights flashed, the crowd cheered, and Beck and Tori had managed to fall even more in love with each other._

* * *

"Nat!" I called, my voice echoing up the long staircase. "Nat, your dad's outside! You got everything?" A small girl trudged down the stairs, dragging a pastel pink duffel bag behind her. Waves of brown hair flowed from her head, framing her face. Her cheeks were defined and complemented by big brown eyes. She was a carbon-copy of me, right down to those cheekbones. I stood at the foot of the stairs, smiling as she reached the bottom step.

"Yes, mom," she said. Her voice was so innocent and cute, it never failed to remind me of Cat.

"Toothbrush, pajamas, pant-," I began.

"Mom, don't say it!"

"Fine, _underwear._ Are you sure you have everything?"

"Mhm!"

I crouched down so that I was at eye-level with her. "Now, you're sure you want to spend the weekend at daddy's? You can always cancel."

"Yes, mom," she sighed, her eyebrows knitting together.

I rose to my full height and raised my hands in surrender. I approached the front door, dreading the person behind it. I took a deep breath and twisted the knob. He spun around, removing his black aviator sunglasses in the process. His previous mug transformed into his trademark killer smile.

"Victoria."

I cringed. It took everything I had to restrain my eyes from rolling. "Beck."

"Is Nat ready?" he said, raising his eyebrows.

"I'm all set, daddy!" she said, pushing past me to hug her father's legs. Her smile spread from cheek to cheek as Beck leaned to return the embrace.

"Why, Natalie Oliver, you just get prettier and prettier each time I see you!"

I scoffed. "Figures, considering how often you actually see her," I mumbled under my breath, earning a look from Beck.

"I know I've been away long, but I'm in LA for good now," he said sternly. "Now, let's get a move on, Nat. I still have to give you the grand tour of our new house, not to mention a suite made for a princess. Say bye to mommy."

"Bye Mommy!" Natalie said, launching herself at my legs. "I love you, I'll miss you!"

I planted a kiss on the crown of her head before tousling the hair there. "I love you more, baby. I'll miss you just as much. Be good to your dad and don't forget to brush your teeth!" Natalie nodded excitedly as she took her place beside her father. Beck scooped up her duffel bag in one hand and took Natalie's in the other, leading her to SUV parked in the driveway.

"See you Sunday, Vic!" Beck called over his shoulder. His sunglasses were perched on the bridge of his nose as he threw a wink my way. I felt a chill on my back and cocked an eyebrow. Ten years after high school and Beck Oliver still gave me the good shivers. I shook my head and went back inside, closing the door behind me. I stood with my back to the door until I heard the engine of the SUV and the wheels squeaking against the pavement as they sped way.

"I swear to God, I'm going to kill whoever gave him a license," I muttered as I walked into the living room, plopping on the nearest couch. I looked out the window at the setting sun and hoped that she would be okay. It was never easy for me to let my baby go, even if it was with Beck. Before I could even shut my eyes, I heard the lock click and door open.

"Babe? You home?" a voice called from the foyer.

"In here!" I shouted.

Ryder strolled into the room, a tired look on his face. He loosened his tie and gave me a lazy smile as he took a seat next to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me onto his lap. "How's my girl today?"

"Tired," I replied, burying my face in his chest. "How was work?"

"Tiring," he replied just as blandly. "Beck pick up Nat yet?"

"You just missed them," I said.

Ryder snorted and leaned back on the couch. "Lucky me," he said. "I can't stand him. I don't know what you ever saw in him."

"Trust me, I couldn't agree with you more," I groaned. "But none of that matters now that I have you." I raised my head and kissed his cheek, bringing a smile to his face.

"And God, am I glad I have you," he said, tightening his grip around me. "Just a few more months and it'll be official." He took my left hand and traced the skin surrounding the diamond ring clinging to my ring finger. Our eyes found each other and we leaned in, sharing the gentlest of kisses before collapsing on the couch.

* * *

Hope you guys liked it! There will definitely be more to come if you do. C:


	2. and the same bed feels a little emptier

**A/N:** Thank you for the positive feedback! Definitely more to come if you guys like it! :) I love lots of feedback, good or bad! Read, review, favorite, and follow!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Victorious or Playing for Keeps.

* * *

_Beck sat in the living room of the apartment, limbs strewn across the couch, staring at the front door. He looked at the watch on his wrist, then back at the door. It had become a pattern in the past hour or so. Door, watch, door, watch. On occasion, he'd peek outside the window for a glimpse of Tori's car, but he didn't like to switch up the routine much. Beck's impatient nature made thirty minutes seem like ninety as he drummed his fingertips on the couch._

_Finally, he heard footsteps in the hallway. Beck paused all movement just in time to hear a key entering the door. He jumped from his place and moved with a quickness to hide behind the door. The knob turned and the door opened, Tori following. She slammed the door behind her without even glancing at it._

_"Beck? You home?" she called. She shuffled through envelopes in her hands before tossing them on the kitchen counter. She stripped herself of the thick coat she was wearing before neatly placing it on the couch. Beck took this opportunity and jumped to her form, immediately covering her eyes with his hands._

_"Guess who?" he asked._

_"Well, considering I'm the only other person with a key, Beck?" Tori said, her tone reminiscent of Hermione Granger in its matter-of-factly manner. "Maybe a serial killer or rapist, in which case, this is a little awkward and I should start running." Beck smirked before planting his hands on her hips and spinning her to face him._

_Beck took her hands in his own, "Always the clever one, Ms. Vega," He leaned in, kissing her forehead. He traced the outline of the band on her finger. "Or should I say Mrs. Oliver." Their eyes met and that winning smile found its way back to her face for the first time that day._

_"You know, I love the fact that we're married now, but I feel like your mom when you call me that," Tori said, crinkling her nose._

_"Mrs. Vega-Oliver," Beck corrected himself. "What do you say we take a drive somewhere? I have a surprise for you."_

_"But I'm so tired! I've been working on Andre's album all day and someone's getting a little antsy in there," Tori frowned, rubbing her enlarged stomach. "Can't we just order a pizza and cuddle on the couch?" She looked up at Beck with widened eyes in an attempt to sway him._

_"Oh no, I prepared myself for this," he grinned. "I am impenetrable today, baby, your puppy eyes aren't getting you anywhere. Come on, I promise you'll love it and it won't take too long."_

_"And if I don't love it?" she asked. "How can you say no to a pregnant woman! I swear there's a whole chapter about it in the book we bought last weekend!" Tori grumbled as she pulled her coat back on._

_"If you don't love it, I'll buy you two pizzas. We'll watch every season of Gossip Girl on Netflix. I'll call in sick to work tomorrow and cuddle with you until you use your pregnant telepathy powers to throw me off you," Beck reasoned, smiling as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders._

_"In that case, I hope it's horrible."_

_The couple made their way out the door, down the elevator to the complex's apartment garage, and onto the freeway. Beck rummaged for something in the many compartments of his car while Tori watched curiously. He produced a black blindfold from the console, taking fifteen minutes to persuade his wife to put it on as it was essential to the surprise. Finally, they arrived to their destination and Beck helped Tori down from the car._

_"Okay, you can take it off now."_

_Tori quickly removed the blindfold from her eyes and saw a beautiful house in front of her. Her eyes widened as she looked on in astonishment, taking in the structure. It was a two-story townhouse with a porch, a polished front yard, and a vivid red door. Beck moved to stand in front of her and held a gold key in front of her face, prompting her jaw to fall._

_"Well? What do you think? Do you hate it? I'm sorry!" Beck's words spilled out of his mouth, not even bothering to pause for an answer. "I wanted to do something special with my first paycheck, something for us. I know it's not a huge Hollywood mansion... but it's ours."_

_Tori looked up at her husband, shaking her head. "I love it, Beck. It's perfect. I can't believe you did this for us." Her eyes were reddening at the edges as the tears formed at her ducks where her husband's widened in horror. "Happy tears, happy tears!" she said, reassuring him._

_Beck breathed a sigh of relief and collected her in his arms. They turned to face the beautiful house in front of them._

_"This is where it's all gonna happen, Tor. Everything. First steps. First Christmas. First birthday." Beck kissed her forehead as she tightened her hold around his waist. "And I'm so excited."_

* * *

The memory seared in my mind, causing my grip on the steering wheel to tighten. I snapped back to reality as the sound of Natalie singing in the back seat filled my ears. I made it a huge point in my fatherly agenda to only play good music in an attempt to flush out all the bullshit pop music Tori tries to brainwash Natalie with. Thankfully, I think it's rubbed off on her considering she knows most of the music on my iPod.

"I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places that this heart of mine embraces all day through," Natalie sang. Her voice shook my heart to its very foundation. I watched her sing in my rearview mirror. Her eyes stared at the window, widening at everything she saw. Her voice fell in perfect harmony the speaker. "Who sings this, Daddy?"

"Billie Holiday, honey," I answered.

"Billie? Isn't that a boy's name?"

"Not necessarily."

"Oh. Mommy only listens to Ke-dollar-sign-ha."

I rolled my eyes. Tori hardly cared for my more refined music taste. "I know that's how it looks, baby, but it's pronounced Kesha." I said, meeting my daughter's eyes in the mirror with a smile.

"That's what Mommy says!" Natalie exclaimed. "Are we almost there?"

"Almost."

Natalie sighed. "O-kay." I remembered the day I showed Tori our house again, realizing I was where Natalie got her lack of patience. I exited the freeway, made a few turns here and there, and finally we had arrived to the house. It kind of went without saying that I made a lot more money now than I did when I bought our first house all those years ago. So it was safe to say that my newest purchase was a definite upgrade.

"We're here, baby," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt. Natalie climbed out of her booster seat and followed me out of the car. The sun was almost completely set and the outline of the house was only visible. This alone held the essence of how grand the structure was. I took Natalie's duffel bag from her hand and replaced it with mine, leading her into the house.

The house was furnished with leather couches and glass tables. The ceilings seemed to reach the heavens. The windows that looked out to the pool and backyard were comparable to glass walls. The floors were gleaming white tiles.

"Let me show you the best part." I scooped up Natalie into my arms and carried her upstairs. I pushed the door open with my shoulder. "Clap twice, Nat." Natalie obeyed and the light illuminated the room. The walls were covered in pastel pink. An "N" shone in lights above her white, four-poster bed. Several pictures of her, myself, and Tori hung in frames across the walls.

"You did all this yourself, Daddy?" she said, her wide eyes meeting mine.

I nodded, "Just for you, baby."

I felt her arms tighten around my neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love it, you're the best!"

"I love you too, munchkin. Why don't you get ready for bed and I'll tuck you in?" I proposed. She nodded excitedly and began to ruffle through her bag. I shut the door and made my way to the study I had adjacent to Natalie's bedroom. I raked through the drawers, hoping I hadn't lost it. Thankfully, I had found it hidden beneath a stack of papers. I opened the book to find the same writing inside. "To Princess Natalie. Love, Mommy + Daddy. Merry Christmas!" I sighed, remembering our third Christmas in our old home. It would be our last.

Returning to Natalie's door, I knocked twice.

"Come in!" I entered to find Natalie in a pair of purple pajamas, already in bed. "I'm ready!" She smashed her hands on the comforter and narrowed her eyes. I laughed and settled in next to her.

"Once upon a time..." I began. By the fifth page, Natalie was slumped over, fast asleep. With the utmost gentleness, I stood from the bed and set the book on the bedside table. I rearranged the blankets, making sure my daughter was nice and snug before tucking her in. I leaned down, brushing her hair out of her face. How much she resembled Tori never ceased to fascinate me. After planting a soft kiss on her forehead and thanking every god that ever existed for this bundle of perfection, I stood up and proceeded to the door. I turned off the light, the only light in the room coming from the glowing N, and shut the door.

In a fit of loneliness, I went to my room and changed out of my restricting clothes to my favorite pair of sweatpants and an HA t-shirt. I slumped down on my bed and turned on the TV, sinking into the sound waves, drowing in the static, and looking for anything to distract me from the emptiness of my bed and the woman who should be sharing it with me.

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**Update:** Do you guys think it's time for a little Bori action? Leave a review letting me know what you think! C:


	3. and at least he never wakes me up

**A/N: **I tried my best to update faster than I did before just for my readers! The more feedback I get, the more motivated I am to make something great for you guys so keep it coming C: I'm thinking a little Bori action in the next chapter, yes or no? Let me know what you think I should do. Thanks for reading! Keep reading, review, favorite, and follow!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Victorious or Playing for Keeps.

* * *

_Tori Vega was not, nor had she ever been, a morning person. She had always been one to take any opportunity she had to sleep and to deeply cherish it, as if it were the last time she'd ever get to shut her eyes. She especially enjoyed indulging in her love of sleep on weekends when there was virtually nothing to come between her and her sleep- nothing except her husband. Her husband who loved to greet the sun good morning and hardly ever exercised his influence on her mannerisms- except today. Tori stirred in her sleep after receiving the softest of kisses on her lips._

_"Good morning, beautiful," a familiar voice said, placing another careful kiss on her forehead. Tori smiled, eyes still screwed shut, and adjusted to fit better into the mold that was her husband. "Time to get up."_

_Tori frowned and groaned. "What time is it?"_

_"Nine-thirty."_

_"Be-ck," Tori whined. "Nine-thirty?! You know I never wake up before 12 on weekends," she paused, "a__nd if there's an emergency, eleven-forty-five. Maybe."_

_"I just thought we'd try to start our day early for once," Beck said softly in an attempt to bargain. "Wake up Natalie, make some breakfast, take her to the beach. It's a nice day, you'd know that if you woke up at a normal time like everyone else!" He laughed and rolled over, pulling the comforter from Tori's tight grasp._

_The light coming from the blinds made Tori's eyes squint as she looked up at Beck angrily. "Be-ck!" she whined again. "Give me my blanket, I'm not even wearing pants! I could get sick!" _

_"Vic, this is LA, not Minnesota. It's eighty degrees out." He smiled at the sight of her. Wavy hair loosely falling around her face and spilling onto the white sheets beneath them. Her face free of make-up, but glowing as if otherwise. Doe-like eyes silently pleading with his own. One of his old, gray t-shirts hanging on her and concealing the body of a goddess. The mole on her hip that only he had ever seen. Her arms wrapped around herself, feigning shivers. This was how he remembered her; he knew her best at her simplest, rawest, and most natural form._

_"But baby," Tori said. She inched closer to her husband and hugged his waist. Beck was a sucker for Tori's affectionate side. "Saturday mornings are the only time we really have to ourselves, you know? Nat sleeps in, neither of us have work... I really just want to make the most out of this time with you. Cuddle and watch '90s TV shows like we used to."_

_Beck felt his determination shatter as she closed the space between them, his whole defense melting at her touch and evaporating at her words. He could never find it in him to deny this girl and he hated that she knew._

_"Okay, Vic, you win," Beck said. He rolled onto his back and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. _

_"I always do," Tori said. She looked up at him, a wide grin spread across her face like butter on a pancake. She threw an arm around his waist and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Becky."_

_"Ugh, you haven't called me that since high school! How'd you like if I called you Vicky?" Rolling his eyes and smiling, Beck returned the sentiment. "I love you too, baby. Now, Full House or Saved By The Bell?"_

* * *

I blinked awake, eyes trained on the ceiling fan overhead. My eyes moved from the fan to the clock on the beside table. 1:30 P.M. I looked beside me and saw Ryder laying on his side, facing away from me. The sound of his snoring filled the room and echoed into the hallways outside our door. I reached out and shook him gently.

"Ryder?" I whispered. He grunted in reply. I scooted closer to him, draping my arms over his side and resting my head atop them. "What if that ceiling fan was on and spun out of control or something and fell on us?"

Ryder sighed. "Tori, I work a nine-to-six-six at the earliest- five days a week. I'm tired. Could you not wake me up so early just to ask silly questions?" he muttered sleepily before taking the pillow under him and placing it over his head.

Taken aback, I withdrew myself from his form. I was so shocked that I didn't have it in me to even generate something sassy to say. I couldn't even give him my signature Tori Vega scoff. I gathered myself quickly and swung my legs over the bed, promptly proceeding to the bathroom.

I closed the door behind me and flicked on the light. I examined myself in the light bulb-surrounded mirror, feeling awfully bad about what I saw. Ryder was hardly one for spontaneous compliments, unless he was complimenting himself. But at least he didn't wake me up before twelve. I hardly felt special anymore. My wavy locks were usually held tight in a bun or ponytail, my make-up went from minimal to nonexistent, my short shorts were tossed and replaced with mom jeans, and my accessories were abandoned in the depths of my closet. I had fully made the transition from aspiring musician to soccer mom.

I entered the shower and let my mind wander. I thought about the rest of the gang. Andre had released a critically-acclaimed R&B album a couple years back and spent the rest of his time working as a well sought-out producer and songwriter. Cat had cultivated her passion for costume into a career, managing and owning her very own company. Jade was working behind the scenes and had won several awards for her brilliant horror screenplays, though I could never bring myself to actually watch one. Robbie was working as a writer for an NBC comedy. Ironically, Trina worked on a game show in a position that did not require her to sing, act, or even speak. Even Sinjin was using his technology and prop design skills working with big time production companies. Beck... Beck had gone above and beyond everyone's expectations that were high enough as it stood. All at only 25.

And me? Andre's connections had gotten me a solid spot working as a songwriter for Columbia. But nowadays, producers were looking for hit dance singles and not the upbeat pop ballads I specialized in. Suffice it to say, I hadn't written a song that really stuck for some while. There was always a huge part of me that wished I was on the other end, performing the songs instead of writing them. Nevertheless, I had everything I needed and more. It felt wrong to ask for more and be anything less than content.

Besides that, Ryder's prosperous career as an agent was a huge contribution. For the most part, I taught for a living. Teaching was something I was always interested in. Upon attending Hollywood Arts and seeing the impact the teachers there had on me, I knew it was something I definitely wanted to explore in the future. So I did. Two years ago, shortly before making the decision to file for divorce, I took an offer from Lane to work as a vocal teacher. A year after, Ryder reentered my life, and the rest is history.

I exited the shower, dried off, and got ready for my day. I scanned my closet, deciding I'd actually put a little effort into my appearance today so as to not feel so bad about myself. I didn't know why I was bothering; I had nothing planned for today, but I wanted to get as far away from Ryder as possible before I ripped his head off with my teeth for being so rude to me. I scanned through my options. Andre was on personal lock down at his home studio trying to finish an album, Robbie was in New York, Jade wasn't fond of spontaneous plans, Cat's company was working in Toronto, and why would anyone in their right mind voluntarily spend time with my sister?

I thought about Natalie and prayed to God that was Beck was taking good care of her. I was so protective of my little girl, I hardly trusted him with her when we were still married. I wondered if it would be so bad to drop in on them. I mean, I hadn't seen his new place yet. What if it was in the middle of some dump, between a crack house and a strip club? Considering the money Beck was making, this was an outrageous idea. But it was my duty as Natalie's mother to make sure she's being raised in the right environment. And if it wasn't, I'd still like a _grand tour_ of the place myself and I'm sure they wouldn't mind me tagging along in their plans.

I chewed my lip, thinking it over. I picked up my phone and sighed as I scrolled down my contact list.

Hey Beck. Would you mind if I joined you and Natalie today?

- Tori.


	4. and so on until we're six feet under

**A/N****:** Not too satisfied with this chapter, but I tried. Thank you for all the feedback. Please keep it coming; it keeps me writing! Brownie points if you can spot the references.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Victorious, Playing for Keeps, or "I'll Be Seeing You" by Billie Holiday. But it'd be pretty cool if I did.

* * *

_"Where are you taking me?" Beck grumbled as Tori started the engine of his Mustang. They were both only seventeen then. It was the summer of their senior year; Tori had decided that this was their opportunity to make bad decisions to look back on fondly when they were on their deathbeds. She'd made a consistent effort to keep the two of them off the couch and away from the newly installed Netflix option on her TV._

_"Somewhere where you can't watch an entire season of an HBO series in one sitting," she retorted, speeding out of her driveway and into the night. _

_"You don't know that. I downloaded the app on my phone last night!" he grinned. Beck wagged his Pear Phone in her face, prompting her to stick her tongue out at him. "And no offense, I don't exactly trust you with Peggy." He ran a hand over the black dashboard, his warm fingertips meeting the cool surface._

_"Correct me if I'm wrong but I was the one who gave your mother the idea of _Peggy_ as a graduation gift," she hissed. "Besides, Peggy's a stupid name for a car and you'll never get reception where we're going."_

_Beck feigned a gasp. "Peggy, she didn't mean it! You take that back right now, Tori!" he brought his fist down on his thigh so as to emphasize his point. As if it was planned, the engine sputtered and the car slowed, eventually coming to a complete halt. His eyes widened and he froze in his place. __Confused, Tori tried to ignite the engine again. After many efforts, she gave up. _

_"This cannot be happening," she squeezed her eyes shut momentarily and hoped it was all her imagination. She turned to her boyfriend slowly, afraid to make eye contact with him. "Beck-"_

_"This is just too perfect, Vic," Beck interrupted her, "too perfect!" He shook his head as he laughed. "It's like a movie scene! We're in our own movie, Vic! Is this a part of your plan? What's next? Jade comes out with a utility belt full of scissors?"_

_Tori took a moment to survey their surroundings. They were on the shoulder of the highway surrounded by a mountainous desert. The only light came from the Peggy's headlights, the few cars still traveling on the stretch of land, and the rest stop area about a mile away. Beck propped an elbow on the armrest and rested his head on his fist. He appeared to be examining the shadows outside his window._

_"I'm sorry," she said. She shook her head before cradling it in her hands. "This is all my fault. We should be in the RV right now, cuddling and watching a viking vampire woo a southern belle."_

_Beck glanced at her. His heart dropped at the sound of her words. Sure, Tori's meddling had gotten him in some sticky situations (especially when he had to clean up the wrath of the cheese fountain), but there was never any instance in which he did not enjoy every second of it. He knew she had only good intentions for him and he couldn't blame her for that. Beck turned up the volume of the radio and rolled the windows down; the melody filled his ears and effectively drowned out his girlfriend's groans. He quickly exited the car and hurried to the driver's side. He opened the door and held out a hand to a frazzled Tori. _

_"May I have this dance?" he asked politely before helping her from her seat. Beck led her to the front of the car where the headlights served as spotlights. He took her hand in his and laid th__e other on her waist as he felt her delicately place another on his shoulder. He held her close as their bodies moved in unison in the brisk night air._

"I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places that this heart of mine embraces all day and through,"_ the radio carried the voice to the couple as they swayed along to the music._

_"I really am sorry, Becky," Tori whispered against my shoulder. "I just... I just wanted to make this summer special. I mean, who knows when it'll be our last-"_

_"Hey, don't think like that," he said as he ran a hand up and down the length of her waist. "I told you, Vic, you're not getting rid of me that easily. I'll be here until you decide you want absolutely nothing to do with me. Besides, it doesn't matter if we're at home with our limbs tangled together, eyes glued on some weird Bon Temps maenad orgy or if we're out on the side of the highway, dancing to Billie Holiday. Every moment I get to spend with you and call you mine is beyond special."_

"I'll find you in the morning sun and when the night is new, I'll be looking at the moon but I'll be seeing you."

_He kissed her forehead. "You and me, Vic. Tonight, tomorrow, the day after, and so on till we're six feet under."_

* * *

"You about ready, princess?" I called over my shoulder. Natalie and I had a beach date down in Newport. Following hitting the big time in Hollywood, I thanked my parents for bringing me up well by buying them a house there. When we were still married, Vic and I would visit my parents and take Natalie for days at the pier. Considering the weather was fair and we hadn't been there in years, I decided now was as good a time as any to head down.

"Daddy!" I heard as the voice came closer and closer. I turned around and saw Natalie in a pink dress and green fists. "Can I bring my Hulk hands?"

"Why?" I asked. The image brought a laugh to rise in my throat. Five years old and sporting the dress of a Barbie doll and the hands of a gamma experiment gone wrong; I knew I had done something right in raising her.

"So I can smash your sandcastles!" she said. Her eyebrows knitted together and she hunched her back. "NATALIE SMASH!"

"Sure, princess," I said, turning my attention back to the bag sitting on my bed. My eyes scanned the interior, making sure I had everything necessary, "Where's my phone..." I muttered, shifting the contents of the duffel in my quest. I felt a tugging at my shorts and looked down to see Natalie holding my Pear Phone. I gave her a look before gently taking it from her grasp.

"I was playing Angry Birds..." she trailed off as she slowly trudged out of my bedroom. A small smile played on my lips as I shook my head and unlocked my phone. I scrolled through my inbox, finding a message from the mother of my child. Half of me leapt five feet in the air at the sight of her name but the other half sighed, knowing Tori was probably going to nag me about something I had already taken care of. _Would you mind if I joined you and Natalie today?_

"What the fuck," I attempted to whisper but it came out as some sort of hushed scream.

"I heard that!" Natalie said from down the hall. "You owe me an ice cream!"

I disregarded this and refocused my attention to my phone. Tori had never expressed any interest in spending time together as a family. In fact, she expressed wanting to spend as much time away from me as possible. I wondered what had caused the sudden change in attitude. Although I was curious, I missed spending time as a family. Besides, it would be great for Natalie to see her parents being civil for once. I responded, explaining we were embarking on a trip to Newport in an hour or so and that she was welcome to join us. Within minutes, she agreed and I sent her my address.

I poked my head into Natalie's room to find her singing Adele into her hairbrush. For the millionth time that day, my daughter brought the brightest smile to my face. A smile that only she and her mother had ever brought me. Once again, I silently thanked whoever was listening for blessing me with Natalie even though I had nothing in my lifetime to deserve her. Following her performance, I took a seat in the white chair next to her window. "So, your mom texted..."

Her eyes widened immediately and I swear to God, she never looked more like Tori. "No! She said I have to go back home, didn't she?" she shouted. "That's not fair! Daddy, tell her that's not fair! No no no! I never even get to see you, she can't do this!" She plopped down on her bed in a huff, crossing her arms.

"...asking if she could come along with us today," I finished. Natalie reared back in surprise and relaxed her shoulders. "Would that be okay with you? It would be just like the old days when we'd visit Grandma and Grandpa."

She nodded and smiled. "Are we visiting them?" Natalie asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Not today. Grandma and Grandpa are in Canada. But don't worry, they'll be back in time for your birthday party!" Since the divorce, Natalie's birthday parties were the only time my parents ever saw Tori. This was both good and bad considering my parents loved Tori and well... considering my parents _loved_ Tori. They'd constantly berate me on how much of an idiot I was to let her go and they wouldn't let up on asking her whether or not we still had a chance.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you were Canadian, daddy. Mommy's boyfriend said your universal health care doesn't make up for your lack of acting skills," Natalie said absentmindedly before shrugging, "Whatever that means."

I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes. "He said that?" That's a lot coming from someone who could barely pass an acting class without getting some naive blonde in bed. Especially considering he had to settle for a career as an agent because he wasn't good enough to be the one being represented. I laughed to myself. "Well, let me know when he wins an Oscar- oh, that's right, he got turned down for the role of 'Innocent Bystander.'"

I looked at Natalie who had a lost expression on her face. "Who's Oscar? And what's a bystander?"

I opened my mouth to respond when the doorbell rang. "That should be your mom." I descended down the stairs to answer the door. I found Tori on the other side, looking beautiful as ever. A loose-fitting baseball t-shirt hung on her shoulder over a pair of denim shorts. Her hair was down and ran loose about her shoulders. Her eyelashes brushed her skin when she looked up at me and I felt my heart sink into my stomach. I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn't form words. Upon clearing my throat, I finally smiled and greeted her. "Hey, Vic."

Tori smiled with her lips pursed and raised her eyebrows. "Hey Beck," she said politely. Her eyes bounced around me. "Wow, you weren't exaggerating. Your place is amazing. The outside is, at least."

"Oh! Come in!" I said, snapping back to reality. Tori walked through the door and it took everything I had to avert my eyes from her ass.

"Hi, mommy," Natalie said, entering the foyer dragging the bag from my bed behind her. She looked up at Tori. "Long time no see." Natalie inherited both her impatience and sarcasm from me, I thought, making a mental note.

I clapped my hands together. "Well, better get a move on if we want to catch the sun," I said as I led the way out the door. "You never were much of a morning person, Vic." I smiled at her before turning my attention on Natalie.

"Your memory is astounding," Tori said slowly before walking out to the car behind Natalie. After locking the door, I took my place in the drivers seat and exited the property. "So, why Newport?" I glanced at Tori's form. Her head rested on her fist, her elbow propped up on the center console. Those long, tan legs were crossed tight like fingers. She pulled her free hand through her brown waves.

"Well, I've been promising Nat a day at the beach and the weather was finally fair enough. Plus neither of us have been down to Newport in a while and Natalie always loved it there when she was little," I answered. I peeked at Tori from behind my aviators and saw an absent expression strewn on her face. At that moment, I knew she was being brought to the same memories.

"Were you planning on visiting your parents?" Tori asked suddenly, her tone timid and uneasy.

"I'd love to, but they're visiting Alexis in Canada. Apparently she's working on some movie." Alexis was my little sister, only two years my junior but the two years made a world of difference. Sure, I had my differences with my parents every now and then, but she took that to a whole different level. In fairness, that was all a long time ago but she still acted up occasionally. She moved to Canada, hoping to escape my parents, but her plan faltered when my parents made sure every relative we had kept a close eye on her.

"I miss Grandma and Grandpa! And Auntie Alexis!" Natalie whined from the backseat. I grinned at her from the rearview mirror.

"They miss you just as much, princess. Don't worry, they'll be here before you know it, just in time for your birthday, okay?" She nodded and redirected her attention to the view outside her window.

"How is Alexis? I haven't seen her since..." her voice trailed off. _My parent's thirty year anniversary party when you ripped my heart out_, I silently finished for her.

"Not in jail," I shrugged. "Yet, anyway. How's Trina?" It was one of those instances in which you ask a question to be polite. Honestly, I had no interest in my former sister-in-law. During our marriage, she had done little to improve her image to me. She worsened it, if that was even _possible_. She often cornered me alone at family functions with propositions along the lines of "I know you're just using her to get to me" and sometimes even "I bought us two tickets to Paris. If we leave now, we can catch our flight."

"Still crazy," she retorted. "She got a job on a game show. I guess that whole Queries for Couples thing did a number on her. I'm not complaining, as long as she's not asking me for money anymore. Do you miss Aunt Trina too, Nat?"

"No!" Natalie said, her voice full of disgust. "She tried stealing my Christmas present!" Tori and I laughed at the memory. Natalie was only three at the time and both the Vegas and Olivers had gathered at our old townhouse to celebrate Christmas. In Alexis' case, Hanukkah, seeing as she switched religions like lanes. Trina and Natalie engaged in a heavy war regarding an easy-bake oven from Mr. and Mrs. Vega. I could still hear Trina's voice echoing through the house, _"I _always_ wanted an easy-bake oven, and you guys _never_ got me one! At least now I'll know to get you two a parenting book next Christmas!" _

"Remember when she tried sneaking it into her car?" Tori said.

"And she went outside to find her car had been towed because she parked it in front of someone's garage," I finished for her before the three of us burst into laughter. I caught a glimpse of Tori in this moment. Her eyes squinted as her laugh rang through the car. She held a hand to her mouth in an effort to muffle her voice. I missed her like this. I missed seeing her happy. I swallowed a lump in my throat and took the next exit. It had been nearly ten years since I had met her and after all that time, her smile still made me feel like a nervous teenager.


	5. and this simplicity makes me love you

**A/N:** This delay was caused by a mix of lack of time and lack of imagination. I sincerely apologize and hope this suffices even though I'm not too satisfied with it. Please review, tell me what I can improve on, what you enjoyed, and what you'd like to see! I'd love to hear it C: Thanks for reading!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Victorious or Playing For Keeps.

* * *

Hollywood Arts' golden boy crashed into the sand next to where his girlfriend lay, staring at the sky. He stared at her with knitted eyebrows and a crinkled nose. He snapped his fingers next to her ears, prodded the flat surface of her stomach, and blew in her face. Nothing. She didn't even blink.

"Vic..." he said, his voice trailing as he poked her arm. "Vic, are you dead?"

"I understand why Jade hates sweat so much," Tori muttered as she kept her eyes trained on the sky above. "If I move, I'll sweat more... so I'm trying not to move."

Beck's head scanned his surroundings. The welcoming water grazed the sand delicately and the sun felt like a warm blanket. There were few places Beck appreciated as much as he did Newport Beach and he was beyond happy to share that with Tori. "You do know you're at a beach, right? One of the most beautiful beaches in California. And you're complaining about being too warm," he said in a clarifying tone.

"It's not just being warm, it's being _sweaty_," she said loudly, through gritted teeth. Her eyes met his momentarily before her lips pulled into a pout. "Stop making fun of me."

Beck laughed, "I didn't say anything!" He rolled over, laying on his back next to Tori. "I really hope you remembered to put sunscreen on. You were nearly orange last time..."

"You didn't have to, I know what you're thinking. I'm not crazy."

"You're not crazy. I think it's cute," he said. His tone was patronizing and Tori could sense it from a mile away. Her eyes narrowed and her tongue darted out at him. He stood up and brushed off his shorts. "That's it," he mumbled as he crouched down to swoop Tori into his arms. He tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman's lift.

Tori struggled in his embrace. She flailed her limbs in protest, her fist meeting Beck's back on several occasions. "Put me down! The water's dirty! There could be _sharks! _Beck!"

Before she could say anymore, she was submerged into the blue oasis. Her mass of hair floated above her head slowly, almost gracefully and the tiniest bubbles escaped her mouth as she moved her arms and legs underwater. Beck's lips were pulled into a grin as he mirrored her motions, reaching a hand out to her. It was this simplicity that made them love each other. They could've been anywhere, but there they were, among the fish and the seaweed and pollution and grime, and all they could see was each other.

Beck swam to Tori, held her by her waist, and brought her back to the surface with him. They gasped for air as they broke the surface together, catching their breaths little by little. Tori looked at the boy who held her in his arms, hair slicked back by the water, droplets decorating his face. She shook her head and smiled. "I hate you, Beck Oliver.

He grinned again and kissed her forehead. "I love you too, baby."

* * *

Beck parked the car adjacent to the beach. Natalie and I stepped out of the car as Beck gathered all our things. She quickly bounded towards the sand ahead faster than I could stop her. I struggled to keep up as my feet plunged in and out of the sand. Natalie stopped just short of the shore and took a moment to appreciate her surroundings. I glanced behind my shoulder to see my ex-husband dutifully setting up our towels and umbrellas.

"I remember this place, Mommy," Natalie said as she dug her toes in the sand. "I remember Daddy dumping you in the water so bad you got sea plants in your hair!" She turned around and grinned at me. I rolled my eyes at the memory but couldn't help but smile back at her. Besides, for a five-year-old, she had an impressive memory bank.

"Come on, let's go check on your dad," I said, taking her little hand in mine. She pulled me forward, hurling me full-speed towards our set-up. Her father's back was turned towards us. His familiar, not to mention worn, plaid shirt hung loosely off him as he hurried about the towels. This alone brought me back to high school. The days I spent just in a pair of underwear and one of his plaid shirts, wasting away in his RV. Admittedly, they were not my finest days and definitely not days I would tell Natalie about, but... they were some of my happiest. I could never deny that.

"You wanna go in the water, princess?" Beck said, clapping his hands together. Natalie shook her head as if her life depended on it. She loved the sun, she loved the sand, but she did not love the water. I guess she inherited something besides my face after all! "You're gonna love it, honey, I promise."

Natalie's eyebrows knitted in worry. "Daddy, no. Me and Mommy watched Shark Week last year."

Beck's eyes met mine, narrowing for a split second. He mouthed something along the lines of "Shark Week? Really?" I shrugged and smiled a nervous smile as a peace offering. "Nat, don't you know I'm a professional shark fighter? It's basically what I went to college for!" Natalie crossed her arms and huffed, determined. Yeah, definitely got that from me. Beck crouched down so as to see eye to eye with her. "Natalie, you know I'll do anything to protect you against a mean shark. Come on, just see if you like it. Mommy used to hate the ocean, but look at her now!"

Both sets of big, brown eyes met mine. Beck's in some sort of persuasive glare and Natalie's in a hopeful, but nervous stare. "Why don't you just try it? If you don't like it, you never have to go in ever again, we _promise._"

Beck held out a hand and looked her in the eye. Something switched in Natalie and I feel both Beck and I sensed it. He had this power over her that made her felt so reassured and safe. It was undoubtedly something I missed, especially during nights when the wind howled, the rain pounded, and my beautiful daughter would come to me looking for a safe haven when I was shivering in fear under my mountain blankets. It was hard; most times I felt like a single parent considering Ryder was hardly around and he and Natalie didn't have the closest relationship. Beck and I always seemed to balance each other out when it came to Natalie.

Natalie took Beck's hand and outstretched her own towards mine. I took it and we led her to the water. The water gathered at her feet and a tentative Natalie gradually submerged more and more of her little body into the water. I glanced at Beck to see him marveling at our daughter. His eyes seemed to light up as he watched her and I had rarely seen his smile so wide. Natalie charged further into the water, bringing her father along with her. I stayed behind, happy enough to watch my little girl growing up right before my eyes. I watched father and daughter break the waves before changing gears and drenching each other, laughing all the while.

Sometimes, I felt I could never love another man as much as I did Beck, especially seeing him with Natalie. And that, taking thunderstorms and sharks into consideration, scared me more than anything.


	6. and if i'm going to lose you

**A/N:** Please review, give feedback, ideas, and any questions if you have them!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Victorious or Playing For Keeps.

* * *

By the time we had finished our time at the beach and taken Natalie for ice cream, the sun was setting and we were back on the road. Natalie, tired out from a day of making her parents run around, was sound asleep in the backseat. My gray sweater was draped on her shoulders and when I glanced at her in the rear view mirror, her nose crinkled, just like Tori's did when she slept. Consequently, Tori, tired from chasing Natalie around all day, was drifting to sleep in the passenger seat. I smirked before returning my eyes to the road.

"I can drive," I flinched at the abrupt sound. I looked at Tori from the corner of my eye. "If you're too tired, I can drive."

"Always so charitable, Vic. It's fine, I know how tired you are, go on and take a nap. I'll wake you when we're close, okay?" Her expression was hesitant, but she nodded before returning her head to the seat. I smiled in my small success, seeing as I hardly ever got Tori to agree to anything in the ten years I had known her. I focused my attention to the road ahead of me, anxious to return home. It had been so long since I had spent a whole day with Natalie and suffice it to say, I wasn't used to the physical demand that came with having a five year old, especially one of Natalie's caliber. I stifled a yawn and hummed along to the music. Vintage Gwen Stefani, the only strong point of Tori's music taste that survived our divorce and her motherhood.

I stole another look at the woman that used to my queen. Well, in some respects, she still was and always would be. It was more of a matter of her not wanting anything to do with me. Her arm hung loosely on the armrest, gleam from the streetlights we passed catching light from something on her hand. I raised my eyebrows and squinted, desperate to soothe my curiosity. I reared back, immediately regretting my decision. A ring. A simple single band with a simpler stone on top of it, pale in comparison to the beautiful diamond ring I proposed to her with. It made sense now; her wanting to spend the day with us was just a way of her rubbing in the fact that she was moving on. That, or her working up to telling me the news.

I scoffed, trying not to make it obvious that my insides were compressing more with each mile we traveled and minute that passed. Marriage. Tori. Ryder. And not me. Tori divorced me. Tori is marrying Ryder. The words sunk in, but stung no less. Finally, we pulled into my driveway and I killed the engine. Had the news not been so suddenly broken to me, I probably would have been more gentle in waking Tori from her sleep. But it wasn't. I reached out and shook her shoulder. Not forcefully, but not gently.

"We're here," was all I said before unbuckling my seat belt and exiting the car to retrieve Natalie from her car seat. I gently carried her to the door before unlocking it and proceeding to her bedroom. I set her down with the utmost delicacy, not bothering to change her clothes knowing she'd wake up within an hour. I turned her nightlight on before leaving, the door kept an inch open. I went back downstairs to find Tori sitting at the kitchen island, seemingly admiring the granite it was comprised of.

I stood on the opposite side of the island. My arms were crossed around my chest as I leaned on the island. "So were you planning on telling me you were engaged?" I raised an eyebrow before averting my eyes to the bowl of candy a few inches away from me. The silence seemed to thicken and I swore I heard her swallow her breath. "I don't know. Maybe it's just me, the way I was raised, but I think it's common courtesy to notify the father of your child when you make plans to marry another man."

"Beck," she said, holding up a hand. "Don't start with that 'father-of-your-child' bullshit. Ryder is more than enough _father_ than Natalie needs. Sure, she might not like him as much, but at least he was there for the past year." Her words felt like a slap to the face. If there was one thing I hoped she would never question, it was my father skills. A close second was how much I loved her, but obviously she didn't believe that either, considering it was the basis for our divorce.

"Maybe I would have _been_ there if you had cooperated in letting me see my own daughter, but no. You always have to be in control. You always know better. You don't trust me with her and apparently, you don't trust me in the first place since I'm probably the last to know that you're freaking engaged to Ryder _fucking_ Daniels." I squinted, my vision distorting.

"You're right, I don't trust you! You haven't been around to earn my trust in the first place! And for the record, you don't get any input on who I date and especially not who I get engaged to, Beck. You're not my father." Her eyebrows knitted, eyes narrowing. She gripped the edge of the island with a sense of urgency.

"I am Natalie's and I get a say in who is around my daughter," I barked. "God, Tori. She's not just yours! She may look like it, but she's not! And since we split, you've been doing everything you can to keep her away from me and I'm not going to stand for it anymore. I'm not losing Natalie to _him_."

"What is your problem with him, Beck!? What did he ever do to you?" Her voice was breaking as her rage boiled over.

"Tor, look what he's done to you! Look at you, there's barely any of you left. You were never like this before. You were never so guarded and negative and pessimistic. You were definitely never this vindictive. And you know, maybe I have no direct right to be bitter about it, but I have some claim in it since I fucking care about you!"

Tori laughed a deep chuckle, rooting from the very bottom of her throat. "_Care_ about me? You don't give a fuck about me, you just don't want me to move on. You want to win the divorce, that's all you care about. You just don't want to face that I'm doing fine without you."

I opened my mouth to speak but held my tongue. I was sure I'd say something I would regret. I lowered my voice. "You're right, I don't want you to move on. But it's not because I want to 'win,' it's because I don't want him to hurt you. It's because he doesn't deserve you and if I'm going to lose you, it's going to be to a someone who is five times the man I will ever be and who can treat you better than I can. But I know with absolute certainty that he is not that guy."

"He's not the same person he was at Hollywood Arts, Beck, just stay out of my-" Tori was interrupted mid-scolding by shuffling footsteps.

Natalie appeared in the doorway. My sweater hung on her shoulders and dragged past her shadow. She rubbed her eyes before gazing up at the both of us. "I hear yelling. Wha happened?"

My jaw tightened. I stood, gripping the ends of the island as Tori had done a mere five minutes ago. "Nothing, Nat. Your mother was just leaving. Say goodnight, then go up and get ready for bed." I looked Tori dead in the eye as if trying to find the parts of her Ryder had deemed useless and done away with. Natalie dragged her feet and Tori met her halfway, crouching down to take her into her arms.

"Sleep good, baby. Be good for your daddy," she said softly. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She placed a kiss at the top of Natalie's forehead. "I love you, sweetie." Natalie nodded and returned the sentiment with something that was intended as "I love you, mommy" but sounded like "I logged a mummy." Tori made her way to the door, opened, and exited through it without so much as a bye. Obliging, I shut it after her, wordless.

I made my way back up the staircase, wondering what we had done to get here and if there was even a chance of undoing the damage. I remember my lawyer and Jade's father telling me, _Welcome to the divorced life, Beck_, when I had penned my final signature on the papers. _There's no turning back now__. _


	7. and i'll do you one better

It was, as Beck had so casually referred to it as, Judgment Day. The broken family gathered at the courthouse to finalize the dissolution of Beck and Tori's marriage. It was late November then. The southern California sun retired to its winter home behind the clouds and the rain had claimed its place. Tori stepped out of her recently purchased car and ejected her umbrella. Her heels clacked on the damp concrete beneath her as she made her way into the courthouse.

Beck sat with his lawyer, Edward West (yes, _that_ West). He seemed trapped in the black business suit, desperate to return to his worn plaid shirts. His eyes were held in a blank gaze in the direction of the papers that sat in front of him. Natalie sat with Andre, who, as the only neutral person in the situation, had been named her legal guardian and had taken her in for the past few weeks. Aside from that, Mr. and Mrs. Vega and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver sat in the respective sides of the room, awaiting the time where they would each be called to testify. The rest of the group was scattered among the courtroom seats, hesitant to align themselves with a side. Tori took her seat next to her lawyer, a contact her father had encountered while working on the police force.

The trial came to order. "This court is assigned to the complaint for divorce and request of custody regarding Natalie Victoria Vega Oliver between Beck Oliver and Victoria Vega-Oliver," the judge, a stern-looking man with a thick mustache, said. And so the trial continued thereafter. Lawyers on each side grilled the witnesses, hoping to find an edge.

"Ms. Vega, to your knowledge, had Mr. Oliver ever been unfaithful during the course of your marriage?"  
"No."  
"Mr. Harris, as a close friend of the family, did you ever witness either Ms. Vega or Mr. Oliver neglecting their daughter?" "No, they were always keeping a close eye on her and giving her all the attention necessary."  
"Ms. Valentine, could you briefly describe Natalie's relationship with her parents?"  
"She _loves_ them! Even more than she loves cupcakes, and I'll tell you, we get cupcakes almost every week. One time, my brother came along and-"  
"That'll be all, Ms. Valentine, thank you."  
"Mrs. Oliver, how do you feel about Ms. Vega?"  
"Oh, we all love Tori, we think she's great. Ever since my Beck met her, he's been the happiest I've ever seen him."

However, the most important testimony was Natalie's herself. As much as both Tori and Beck tried to prevent it, their lawyers insisted. After all, children rarely lie. The lawyers went as far as to ask her who she'd prefer living with between her parents. "I want to live with both of them. I love my mommy but I love my daddy just as much. I don't want them to get a d-divorce." Natalie's small face reddened as the lawyers dismissed her. She ran into Andre's arms, avoiding eye contact with either of her parents as she exited the courtroom.

Later on, the judge announced his final ruling. "It is by this court's decision to grant joint custody of Natalie Victoria Vega Oliver to both Beck Oliver and Victoria Vega. This will be revisited when the child in question reaches age fourteen." And with that, court was dismissed.

* * *

I drove home in tears. Despite my unwavering sadness, I still wouldn't buy into Beck's game. He hasn't cared about me since the minute he signed those divorce papers two years ago. I pulled into my driveway and killed the engine, stopping to flip down my mirrors and wipe away smeared makeup and runny mascara from my face. I entered the house feeling weak and unstable, only wishing to find comfort between my sheets. I closed the door behind me gently, prompting a voice to boom from the top of the stairs.

"Look who finally decided to drag her ass home," Ryder said. "So you just decide to disappear for the whole day without so much as a note?" He descended down the stairs. He took his time, becoming increasingly intimidating with each step.

I rubbed my temples in irritation and leaned against the door. "I'm sorry, I just needed to get away."

"Get away?" he said, barely allowing me to finish a thought. He was face to face with me now. "From what? Me? Last time I checked, _I_ gave you that ring sitting on your pretty little finger there, Tori. I pay for more than half this house and all the clothes on your tight little body. You're _mine. _I'm pretty sure that entitles me to at least a fucking note telling me where the fuck you're going." He planted his hands on either side of the door, trapping me in the process. "So where were you?"

"I spent the afternoon in Newport with Natalie and Beck-"

"Beck Oliver, huh? I knew him moving back here was going to be an issue for us. Ex-husband comes back with a couple of Oscar nominations and all of a sudden, you're at his beck and call, waiting to shine his awards and comb his hair, right?" Ryder said.

"It's not like that at all! You know I don't trust Beck with Nat. I wanted to scope his new place out to make sure it's okay for her!" I said sheepishly in an attempt to defend myself.

"So you were at his house now? Don't try to bring your daughter into this an excuse; you went over there for him!" he shouted. "I'm sure Natalie just _happened_ to fall asleep and you just _happened_to spend some alone time with Beck, isn't that right?"

"I can't believe you think that low of me! I have done nothing to make you doubt my fidelity to you, Ryder, and that's more than you can say."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"What? The reason why you haven't been around much lately is because of your _long nights at the office,_ right? But whenever I call your office, they say you've been gone for hours. Do you think I'm stupid? Who are you running around with now?"

"At least I was never married to any of the girls I spend time with," he said, pushing off the door and turning his back on me.

"And that justifies you cheating on me?" I shouted, shoving his back with both my arms.

Ryder turned around and held my arms at my sides, giving me a hard look in the eye. "You're sleeping in the guest room tonight, do you understand me?"

I pulled myself from his grasp and grabbed my things off the floor. "I'll do you one better," I said, opening the door. "Fuck you," and slamming the door behind me. I drove and drove until I finally reached my destination; the only place I knew I could go. I stepped on the brakes when the white gate came into view, pulling up to the gatehouse. "Tori Vega for Mr. Harris, please."

* * *

**A/N:** What do you guys think now that you've seen Ryder's true nature? Thank you for reading :)


	8. and maybe it's time

"Thank you so much for this opportunity," Beck said, trapping his phone between his ear and shoulder as he fumbled to find his keys. The olive skinned man paused and stood up straight. "Absolutely. I look forward to it. Goodbye." He slipped his phone into his pocket and entered his home with a sense of accomplishment. "Vic? You home?"

He paused, allowing time for his wife to reply, but the house seemed empty and he received no response. Beck ventured up the stairs, stopping briefly to deposit his things in the office. Hesitantly, he pushed the door to the master bedroom open. He found Tori and Natalie curled up against the headboard, fast asleep, while 101 Dalmatians played on the television. Tori's curly locks were piled into a messy bun, stray hairs falling onto her black Hollywood Arts t-shirt. Natalie was buried in the crook of her mother's neck, her mouth slightly ajar as she slept.

Beck's heart seemed to soften as he looked on at his family. He dropped all his things and joined his family in the large bed, filling the empty space next to Natalie. The subtle movement prompted Tori to stir. "Beck? When did you get here? What time is it?" she muttered sleepily.

"I just got here, baby. It's a little past 4, why don't you go back to sleep?"

Tori yawned, but shook her head in defiance. "We've been watching movies for _hours_. I can't tell you how long my butt's been asleep," she said, stretching her legs and standing from the bed. "How was work?"

Beck stood, tiptoeing to the study with Tori following close behind. He plopped into the desk chair, opening his laptop as Tori hoisted herself onto the desk. "It was fine. We just finished writing the season finale. Hopefully it's good as is and we don't have to go back and redo everything like last time," he mumbled, scrolling through an abundance of e-mails. "I actually just got a call while I was getting in."

"Yeah? From who?" Tori asked absentmindedly, fiddling with a stack of post-its on the desk.

"It was from the casting director at the show I filmed a pilot for a couple months back. It got picked up by the network," Beck said excitedly, smiling as he looked up at his wife.

"That's amazing!" she exclaimed. "I'm so proud of you! When do you guys start filming?"

He paused and gave his wife a hesitant look. "Beginning of next month... in New York," Beck said warily. He watched as his wife's wide smile slowly shrunk into a frown. "They want to film on location to give it a really genuine look, you know?"

"Yeah, I totally get it, that's great. It's just that we're in Beverly Hills, you know? Kind of a far stretch from New York. Did you know they wanted to film there when you auditioned?" Tori asked. Her tone was nothing short of accusing, if not angry.

"Well, yeah-"

"So why am I just hearing about it now? Beck, I know we're young, but we have a family together. What did you expect to happen if the show got picked up?" Tori spoke in a hushed scream, worried of waking her daughter in the next room.

"Vic, I honestly didn't even think the network was going to go for it! I was hopeful, but I was realistic. And I thought we'd be able to move over there- at least while filming. It's only a few months out of the year and with the money I'd make, we could afford to rent a townhouse over there. You don't understand how hard it is to come by a role you actually _enjoy_ these days!"

"The money_ you_ make, right? So since you make all the money, you get to make all the decisions, right? I'm just the trophy wife that's supposed to go along with everything you decide? We're _married_, Beck, we make decisions together. But since I'm not an actress in the big time, I wouldn't _understand_ your struggles, right?" She stood up and shouted every word at her husband, no longer concerned with Natalie's slumber. Her arms were raised and the proximity between her and Beck was getting smaller and smaller. "What about my career, Beck? I put it on hold when I got pregnant with Natalie, but I'd like to get back to it. What is New York going to do for me?"

"Baby, that's not what I meant-" Beck said, trying to reason with a wife who refused to listen.

"Our whole life is here, Beck. Everybody. Your family, my family, all our friends. It's where everything started and I don't understand why you're so eager to leave," she said. Her tone said angry but her expression read hurt. "But it seems you have it all figured out so I hope everything works out in New York and I'm sure Nat will love to hear all about it from California. You are not taking her with you and you are not taking her from me." With that, she stormed out of the study, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

I laid in bed staring up at the ceiling, the sunlight bursting through the blinds. It was nearly eleven in the morning and getting up was the last thing I wanted to do; for the first time in a long time, I felt like Tori Vega. Nevertheless, I justified this behavior with a simple statement: "Eh, it's Sunday." In a few hours time, both Natalie and I were to be met with rude awakenings, so why not let the kid sleep in a little longer? Besides, she had a long day yesterday (but her daddy had a longer one, not to mention the hours spent in the foyer of his home, staring down the front door, wishing Tori would enter as swiftly as she exited, but to no avail).

I rolled over on my side, with every intention to return to my slumber, when the doorbell rang. Not expecting any guests, I cocked an eyebrow and threw my legs over the side of the bed, proceeding downstairs. I approached the door hesitantly, as I wasn't sure who I'd even given my address to since moving. I opened the door to a figure dressed in black from head to toe, quite like the grim reaper. It was only when the figure turned around did I realize it was a fate much, much worse than the grim reaper.

"Tsk tsk, Beckly, you look a mess," she said, her voice drawling.

"Alexis," I dragged my palm down the length of my face and rubbed my eyes. "Shouldn't you be in Canada?

"Movie wrapped early, so we came home for the summer. Why aren't you more happy to see me?" She stood akimbo in front of me, looking like an angry elf at her height. Her long, black hair was curled to her elbows.

I pointed at my face. "I'm not even slightly happy to see you, I don't know what you mean by _more_. Besides, when have I ever been happy to see _you_?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you going to invite me in or not? _Besides,_ I only came her to see Natalie."

I stepped out of the way so she could enter, clacking past me at an impressive rate. I checked the time on my phone before shutting the door. "Well you better hurry and wake her; Vic is coming soon to pick her up."

Alexis paused on her descent up the stairs and frowned. "Right, I keep forgetting you're _divorced_. Well that's no fun, when do you get her next?"

"I mean, it only happened two years ago, so I can't blame you," I snapped back. I could only be this sarcastic around someone like Alexis. "She's not a car that I'm borrowing, Lex, she's a child. She gets to stay over every weekend, but I''m sure Vic will make up some stupid excuse to keep Nat with her this weekend."

"What the hell did you do to make her hate you this much?" Alexis laughed. "Let me guess, she caught you with a girl?"

"Hey, when you figure out, let me know. I've spent the past two years trying to find out myself," I rolled my eyes, propping myself up against the stairs railing. "And you know damn well that I haven't looked at another girl since I met Vic."

Alexis shrugged as she began walking again. "It has been two years, Beckly. I love Tori, but maybe it's time," she said. Her countenance returned to its default smile as she rushed up the stairs. "I can't wait to see Nat!"

I shook my head, proceeding to the kitchen to make myself some coffee, hoping Tori wouldn't pick today to be on time.

* * *

**A/N:** So I'm starting to give you guys a look at _why_ Tori and Beck got divorced. I know it's short, but there's more to come. Review review review!


	9. and i'll never love anyone more

**A/N:** Here's another chapter. Worked pretty hard on this one and decided not to include a flashback. Hoping for more reviews, they really encourage me to keep writing and I like reading what you guys want to see in an upcoming chapters. Without reviews, I feel really discouraged to even update. Sorry! I just like to know people are reading.

Here's the next installment.

* * *

After André begrudgingly allowed me access into his home, I spent the night on the couch of his studio, sobbing profusely into his shoulder. I told him everything: the worthless feeling that had overcome me since the divorce, the lack of fulfillment in my life, my wasted talent, Beck finding out about my engagement in a harsher way than I had hoped, Natalie's future, Ryder's infidelity and violent words, and the unresolved feelings I had for my ex-husband. André played the role of expert best friend, as he always did, listening intently without interrupting and stroking my hair. He offered his bed, hot chocolate, kind words, and everything else I could ever ask for. Still, my troubles hung over my head like a crown of thorns. I fell asleep in one of the Harris estate's many guest bedrooms and awoke to a breakfast buffet in the kitchen.

"Thought you could use some comfort food," André said as I took a seat at the island. "How you feeling, Cheekbones?"

"A little better," I said in reply. "I really don't want to go home to Ryder... But at the same time, I really don't want to have to see Beck when I pick up Natalie."

"Well you're welcome to stay as long as you like," André said, flipping a pancake.

"I really am sorry I interrupted your lock down. I know how much concentration you need," I said, picking at an egg.

"You know you're an exception to that. Besides, I'm just putting the finishing touches on the new record. The important thing here is, have you decided what you're going to do?"

I groaned, slumping my head in my hands. "I feel even more confused than before, if that's even _possible."_

André paused in his movement to stand across the island from me, similar to how Beck had done just last night. "It's crazy how everything worked out, huh?" I looked up and my worried eyes met his confident ones. "We're all on opposite ends of the country, and even if we're within a ten mile proximity, we still barely have time for each other. It's a shame." He spoke slowly, shaking his head.

"Did you ever think we'd all end up like this?" I asked.

"I did, I just tried not to. Deep down, I always knew Jade never had a chance with Beck once he saw you. I knew neither Cat or Robbie were sane enough to make things work between them, but I also knew that they would've been crazy happy together. I knew Trina would end up doing something stupid that required the bare minimum of talent," he laughed. "I also knew- and I hated that I knew this because every part of me wished I didn't- that you and Beck were it. I know it was a while ago, but I loved you, Tor. I wanted you for myself, but when I saw you two together, I knew I didn't stand a chance."

"I've known Beck for a while now and he's still one of my best friends; we still hang out every now and then. By then, I had seen him through a handful of girls and not one of them made him act the way he did when he was around you," he went on. "I remember your first day at Hollywood Arts, Beck and I went to grab a bite and he just talked about you for the longest time. He barely even knew you, but I swear, he talked about your eyes for an hour. The day before graduation, he spent hours on the floor of my apartment, talking about how scared he was to lose you afterwards. A week before he engaged to you, he visited me at the studio and told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. The day your divorce was finalized, we loaded up on a bottle of scotch and before he passed out on my grandma's bed, he said he could never love someone the way he loved you."

"And you know damn well you told me the exact same things. Now, I get it, it was a long time ago and you're older now, but Tor... You don't talk about Ryder like that. You only bring him up to talk about what he's done wrong lately or to complain that he's never around. And you've only been with him for a year and half, don't you think you might be rushing into the whole marriage thing?"

"Well I had been with four years before marrying Beck, if that means anything. Maybe shorter is better!" I said, trying to reason.

André shook his head and shrugged. "I guess, Tor. I'm just saying, you should really think things through before you do something a little too permanent for your liking."

I held André's gaze for a few seconds before nodding. "Thanks. I'll think it through," I said. "But it's really getting late. I have to pick up Nat soon and I wouldn't want to miss that."

"Aw, it's too bad I can't get her for you. I miss Little Tori and Beck's been talking up his new place."

I gasped. "Perfect! You can go pick her up and take her here and I won't even have to see him."

He gave me a stern look. "Tori, you have to deal with it sometime."

"I know," I frowned. "I'm going to head out. Thanks again for letting me stay! Call me when you're off lockdown." I jumped up from my seat and gave André a kiss on the cheek before returning to the guest bedroom to collect my things. I sat in my car, fixing my make-up in an effort to get rid of the redness under my eyes, before speeding off André's property to Beck's house. I checked myself before exiting my car and approaching Beck's front door. My countenance was one that screamed "I want no nonsense" as I clacked to his steps. Moments after ringing the doorbell, Beck answered, wearing a loose, gray henley shirt and black jeans.

"Hey, Vic," he said. "Come on in. I'll get Nat." His tone was flat and devoid of feeling. He shut the door behind me, turned on his heel, and proceeded into the house and up the stairs. I took this opportunity to peruse his home. I found several of his awards subtly arranged in a glass case. The shelf above contained less glamorous items. This shelf contained both his high school and college diplomas, sitting in identical brown frames. Beside these were a line of picture frames; Beck and his parents at his graduation from the AADA, Beck and Alexis at their parents' anniversary party, Beck and the HA gang, Beck and Natalie on her first day of school, the three of us at the beach, and lastly, in the largest frame, a candid shot of Beck and I at our wedding.

"She's just getting her stuff together, she'll be down in a second," Beck said, startling me. I spun around to find his eyes captured by the very same photos that captured my own. He pointed at the one with everyone from Hollywood Arts. "You know, Cat was actually in Toronto working on the same movie as my sister. She told me they crossed paths a few times, she sends her best. She even handed off a few toys for Natalie."

I nodded. "That's great. I'll give her a call soon to say thank you," I said quietly. I opened my mouth to speak when I heard a loud laugh accompanied by a woman's voice echo from upstairs. I cocked an eyebrow. "So you have a girl over?"

Beck's eyes met mine, "Uh, yeah, it's-"

"So you're going to get on my case for not telling you about Ryder but you have some girl that I don't even know about over while my daughter's here? Your integrity is astounding, Beck," I said coldly.

"Vic, it's not what you think-," he pressed on, eyebrows arched. The sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the house.

"I'm sure it's not, Beck," I said, focusing my eyes on the staircase. Natalie came into view, followed by a woman with flowing black hair and a long, black dress on.

"Mommy!" Natalie shouted, running towards me. "I missed you!" She clung onto my leg as my eyes squinted at the woman, slowly coming into view.

"Alexis Oliver," I said, exhaling a breath I didn't know I was holding. I purposely avoided Beck's eyes, knowing his "I told you so" look better than almost anything. "How have you been!" I smiled genuinely as I approached her in a hug.

"Me and my parents just got in from Toronto last night. I don't know if Beck mentioned, but I was shooting a movie out there so they came along to visit family and whatnot," Alexis said, grinning that unmistakable Oliver smile. I saw Beck give me a knowing look from the corner of my eye.

"Mommy, Auntie Lex woke me up this morning and gave me all these toys!" Natalie said with a bright gleam in her eye. "I don't even know where I'm going to put all them!"

"We'll figure it out when we get home, okay sweetie?"

"Do you have any plans? You guys should hang out here! We just ordered a bunch of take out," Alexis smiled.

I looked down at Natalie. "Well, I don't know-"

"Please, Tor," Alexis pleaded. "I haven't seen you in forever! We _need_ to catch up!"

I hesitated, looking down at my feet before remembering how much I didn't want to face Ryder at home. "Sure, we can stay for a little, right Nat?" Natalie nodded and smiled excitedly. This was going to be an interesting afternoon.


	10. and with you i breathe easier

**A/N:** Thank you **AJ Kenobi** and **Sammy** for such sweet reviews! I really enjoyed reading it and it really reassured me, so thanks! To answer your question, I had Beck refer to Tori as "Vic" instead of "Tori" simply because everyone calls her Tori. I used this as a way to highlight how their relationship is different closer than Tori and Ryder's. For me, by him calling her Vic, it showed she was more open and comfortable with Beck. The flashbacks at the beginning of the chapters are third person, so Tori is referred to as Tori in those, even if it's Beck's POV for the rest of the chapter. He refers to her as Tori during their fight so as to appear more stern and serious than usual and to emphasize that he is angry. When he calls her "Tor" in chapter six, that was probably me being inattentive and not noticing my mistake there, but thank you for pointing that out! It really does hurt the consistency of the story. And he refers to her as Tori to other people because his nickname of "Vic" is special and reserved only for her.

I hope I answered your questions! Thank you for all the reviews! I hope to see more as I keep writing :) Enjoy and review!

* * *

It was a sweltering June night, during the summer of Beck and Tori's junior year. Considering there was no air conditioning in Beck's RV, they had ventured into the main house for a movie night inside Beck's actual bedroom. The couple cuddled close as cool air flooded the room and Captain America played on the TV screen.

"This is weird," Tori said in a whisper, cuddling closer into Beck's side. "I'm in your _bedroom_. I don't think I've ever been in a guy's bedroom before."

"Does my RV mean nothing?"

"That's an RV, this is a _bedroom._ I feel like I should be five feet away from you, I mean, your parents could walk in!" Tori said. "I never had to worry about that in your RV."

"Well it was either this or die of heat stroke in that microwave of a vehicle," Beck said in yawn. "And I haven't actually lived in this _bedroom_ since freshman year, pretty sure my parents are used to it being empty. I doubt they even know I'm in here."

"I don't know how your mom does it," she said, looking up at him. "I'd miss you too much, even if you were just in my driveway."

"Okay, that's my cue to go get some more popcorn," he stood and stretched out his arms before picking up the bowl at the foot of the bed. "I know it's about to get weird when you start comparing yourself to my mother."

"Not like that! Fine, leave, I'll just stay here with the Captain," Tori said, sticking her tongue out and fixing her eyes on the screen.

"You do that, Vic," he laughed as he shut the door. Tori readjusted her position, stretching out on indentation Beck had left behind, when she heard a bang on the wall adjacent to the bed. She scrambled to cling to the opposite edge of the bed as the window swung open, letting the hot air into the room. A young girl with flowing black hair and glowing green eyes jumped from the windowsill onto the floor while holding on to the bed frame for balance. She paused for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief before lifting her head to see a shaken Tori.

"Uh... hey," the girl said. "Are you supposed to be here or are you some homeless chick hiding out?"

"I'm supposed to be here..."

The girl looked around her surroundings. "You sure? Not that you're giving me a bum vibe, it's just that this room is always empty, that's why I tend to come in through here and I'm pretty sure I've never seen you around."

"I'm Tori Vega, I'm Beck's girlfriend," Tori laughed nervously.

The girl's eyes widened. "Oh! _You're_ the girlfriend! Wow, your pictures on The Slap really don't do you justice, you're hot!" she laughed. "Sorry, I'm Alexis, I'm Beck's little sister."

Tori's muscles relaxed. "Thank God, I was about to resort to using my pepper spray and who knows how that would've worked out," she laughed. "Wait... aren't you supposed in boarding school still?"

Alexis' lips curled into her mouth. "Right, about that... school ended around mid-May, but I just told my parents that so I'd have a few weeks of actual freedom to myself. No one in my family really knows I'm back, I've really just been coming and going to crash here or pick up some clothes," she explained. "But that's all about to go to shit because I'm pretty sure I hear my brother coming up the stairs and my room is across the house."

Tori glanced at the door. "Shh, get down," she ordered. Alexis obeyed and crouched behind the large bed as Beck opened the door, smiling as his eyes fell on Tori. "Baby, would you mind getting me a Sprite? My stomach's a little unsettled." Beck's lips sank into a frown as he nodded and shut the door.

Alexis rose from her hiding place, fixing her leather jacket as she came up. Tori got another look at her and was overwhelmed by how much similar she and Beck were; same majestic hair, bright smile, and olive skin. "Thanks for that, Old Man Beckly would have thrown a fit if he'd seen me. We don't exactly have a Donnie-and-Marie sibling relationship, if you didn't already know," she smiled as she approached the door. "Well, he'll be back soon so I should probably get out of here. Thanks again for covering for me, Tori! I can't wait to meet you again!"

"Anytime, it was nice meeting you," Tori said, returning the sentiment in a hushed tone as Alexis scurried out the door. Beck returned shortly holding both the bowl of popcorn as well as a glass of sprite for Tori. She smiled graciously and made space for him on the bed.

"You okay?" he asked as he stuffed his mouth with popcorn. "You seem a little off."

"I'm perfect," she said, leaning up to give Beck a kiss on the cheek.

"Wow, you and the Captain must have had a good time while I was gone."

* * *

The rest of the day went by quickly. Alexis and Tori spent the whole afternoon giggling and gossiping, just like they did in high school, while Nat and I sat back and had a movie marathon. For a while, it felt as if everything went back to normal- as if we were a family again. Tori and I were completely civil, even amicable to each other, and spoke nothing of the night before. But I wasn't going to let go of it that easily. I was determined to confront her. It was 10 by the time Natalie had fallen asleep, her head resting snugly on my chest under a hill of blankets. She had survived through Ironman 1, 2, and The Avengers. Her passion for superheroes as well as her stamina during movie-watching undoubtedly came for me. If my memory is correct, Tori couldn't make it through half a movie without nodding off.

Tori looked at Natalie, biting her lip before Alexis jumped in. "Aw, come on, Tor, look at her! She's beat! Do you really want to wake her up just to drive her home and put her back to sleep? Just sleep over, it'll be fun!" Tori eyed Natalie hesitantly. She never was very good at putting her to sleep. At least, not as good as I was. I guess that said more about me than her, but whatever gets the job done, right?

"I don't know..."

"Well, it _is_ up to you, but I think she's really enjoying being here with all of us, you know? I mean, when was the last time we were all together?" Alexis pleaded. If she wasn't such a good actress, she would be a damn good lawyer. Tori raised her eyebrows, still watching Natalie, before nodding.

"One more night wouldn't hurt," she said. Alexis smiled and clapped in satisfaction, excusing herself to set Tori up in a guest room. I began to slowly shift Natalie off me as Tori went into the next room to make a call. By the time I had Natalie lying safely on the inside of the large couch, I tiptoed over to where Tori was.

"...you know, I don't think I'll be home for a while if that's how you're going to treat me," I overheard her say, her back turned to me. "Fine. I'll call the movers tomorrow morning and be out by the end of the week if that's how you feel!" She shouted into the phone and turned around, her eyes landing directly on me. "Oh. Hi. Sorry. Did I wake Nat?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came. "Uh, no. You weren't being loud or anything, I just wanted to check up on you," I explained. "Is everything okay?"

She hesitated before continuing. "Um, yeah. It's just Ryder. He's been a jerk lately and... I don't think the wedding is going to happen anyway so I wouldn't worry about what happened last night," she said, fixing her eyes on the ground, and taking a seat.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked quietly.

She looked up at me before glancing back at the living room, where Natalie lay asleep. "Yeah, actually, that would be great. Just not here, is that okay?" I nodded and led her to my study, shutting the door behind us. Immediately after the door shut, Tori burst out into tears, catching me off guard as I turned around. "It's just been so hard. I feel like I'm wasting my potential. I don't want this whole divorce to affect Natalie but I know it will. Ryder's cheating on me and he's been so violent and sensitive lately. I didn't even go home last night because he accused me of cheating on him and he was just screaming and screaming in my face. I was so scared, Beck!"

I walked over to where she leaned against the desk and my heart tightened as I collected her in my arms, trying to soothe her. "I don't know what to do, Beck. I don't know how I feel about him anymore, he's not who he used to be. I feel like I rushed into this whole thing and only agreed to it because I was trying to prove that I was over you!" she said, sobbing into my chest. I ceased the motions of rubbing her back upon hearing this.

"And are you?" I said, my voice almost inaudible. She wiped her eyes and looked up at me, still sniffling, and slowly shook her head. Her eyes were red around the rims and she crinkled her nose as she sniffed. I nodded. "I know this is probably a bad time to say this," I brushed her hair back and helped wipe loose tears falling from her face, "You're beautiful and caring and loving and talented and an amazing mother. I can say with absolute confidence that you don't deserve that. I'm not saying to dump him, I'm not saying don't marry him, just that... you deserve the world and I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you, but I know he can't. I'm saying don't settle until you find someone who loves you and supports you and treats you like a queen."

Tori buried her face in my chest, muttering into my tear-soaked shirt, "I missed this." She tightened her arms around my midsection. "You're making it so much harder to figure my feelings out." She said this almost laughingly.

I lowered my voice into some sort of a whisper and spoke slowly, careful in Tori's sensitive state. "Do you want me to go?"

Tori shook her head again and wiped her eyes. "Could you take me to where I'm staying?" I looked her hard in the eye before nodding and offering my hand to her. She took it and led her down the hall to the room adjacent to mine. I closed the door behind us and sat on the bed as she prodded the clothes Alexis laid out for her. "Cover your eyes," she muttered as if I hadn't already seen anything. I heard shifting and rustling and though I was curious, I dare not open my eyes. After a few moments, Tori whispered, "Open."

My eyes opened and she stood directly in front of me, between my legs. Her eyes were level with mine and our noses almost touching. She eyed my lips and I could feel her breath on my skin. I knew this routine better than the back of my hand. "Vic," I said, trying to get her attention. "You know I've thought about kissing you one last time for the past two years and you know it's taking all my willpower not to kiss the crap out of you, but I don't want you to do something you regret."

She looked at me tentatively, silently reassessing her actions. "You're right, I'm sorry," she said. She turned away from me and ran her hand through her hair. "I'm just kind of all over the place right now."

"Don't worry about it. You should go to sleep. I'm sure you have a lot to deal with tomorrow morning and you'll need your energy," I said, standing from the bed. She rounded the bed and got under the covers, huddling and bunching them as she did so. I approached the door, opening it slightly, and said, "Goodnight, Vic."

"Wait, Beck-," she said, before I could shut the door. I paused before ducking my head back in. "Could you stay with me? Just for a little?" I looked into her pleading eyes as my heart told me one thing and my mind told me another. Taking a deep breath, I walked back into the room, shutting the door, and settling under the covers next to Tori Vega as she flipped through vintage horror movies and inched closer to me. And it was at that moment, for the first time in two years, that I breathed easy, knowing she was beside me.


	11. and no part of me wants to leave

**A/N: AJ Kenobi**, your reviews are so affirming and I love them! Thank you for all the kind words. I'm becoming more and more obsessed with Twisted each time I watch an episode and I've thought about writing a fic for it (because honestly, the Twisted category has a lot less stories than it should!), but unfortunately, I am a Dacey shipper. I shipped Jo and Danny at the beginning, but I found myself becoming more and more frustrated with Jo's character.

Please feel free to leave me some prompts for one shots or more ideas for this fic, I feel a little writer's block coming and I'd really like to hear new prompts c: Msg or review.

Here's chapter 11! Review review review!

* * *

It was the tail end of their sophomore year and Tori and Beck were broken up. No one could believe it. The atmosphere at Hollywood Arts seemed to be imbalanced with its power couple in shambles. It had to be a joke. Nonetheless, people took advantage of this window; boys hustled in pairing up with Tori for partner activities during class and a record breaking amount of girls auditioned for the play Beck was directing. The two never spoke, never acknowledged each other, nothing. No one even knew why they broke up in the first place. It didn't last that long- maybe three weeks to a month; no one was quite sure when they broke up but no one could forget when they got back together.

Although many girls pined over him, Jade West had resumed her quest of attaining Beck Oliver as her trophy boyfriend. She had been the most determined out of all of them and no girl's willingness could compare to Jade's. She auditioned for the lead in Beck's play (the role originally written for Tori, before they broke up, anyway) and Sikowitz immediately awarded her the role opposite Beck (but only because Tori didn't bother auditioning), despite Beck's strong protests against it. Jade had succeeded in her first step in worming her way into Beck's life.

As for Tori, after many rejections, she finally took Ryder Daniels up on a date offer (she had just heard about Jade stealing her role). He had been chasing her since news of her break-up first broke, but Tori had heard about Ryder and the many fallacies against him. All she had heard was that he was bad news, but no one could tell her _why_. Besides, all the girls were telling her it was a chance she couldn't pass up; Ryder was hot (and Beck hated his guts)! Tori couldn't think of a better place for a first date than dinner and a movie (and wouldn't you know it, Hollywood Arts was opening its new play that Friday!).

Tori entered the Blackbox Theater on Ryder's arm, taking a seat towards the middle. The lights dimmed and Beck's play began. The play was a modern rendition of A Midsummer's Night Dream (Shakespeare, Beck? So cliche.) At the very height of the play, Beck's character was supposed to kiss Jade's. Tori knew this and actively tried to avoid it, distracting herself with Ryder, flirting, and giggling. Beck spoke in a monologue, facing the audience, Tori and Ryder catching his eye. He tried to shake the image out of his head as Jade approached him for their kiss. Regardless of his effort, from the corner of his eye, he could see Ryder leaning into Tori's lips as Jade leaned into his own.

The fire burning inside him was too strong and Beck was ready to burst. He jumped off the stage, the spotlight ahead following him (stupid Sinjin), and headed straight for Tori and Ryder's seats. Before either of them could notice, Beck clocked Ryder right in the nose, pulling Tori away from him. Many witnesses claim Beck said something heroic ("Keep your preppy boy lips away from my girlfriend," "Next time I'll make sure to undo your nose job," and "Don't let your mascara run, pretty boy" were all one-liners Beck had _supposedly _said) before pulling Tori up into a kiss. And the rest was history.

* * *

I woke up in a very compromising position the next day and for a moment, I stopped and considered how I got there in the first place. Just two days ago, I'd been awake in my own bed, next to my fiancee. The day after, I woke up alone in a well-decorated guest room with the smell of bacon wafting in from under the door. This morning, however, felt like many mornings before and like nothing I had ever experienced, all at once. I made sure not to move, so as to not rouse the light sleeper next to me out of their sleep. That, and there was no part of me that wanted to leave this very spot.

I lie on the bed, eyes darting back and forth across the room. The curtains were drawn close, leaving dim lighting in the room. A plush, white comforter covered our bodies and soft, white pillows cradled his head. My leg was draped across both of his. My head lay on his chest, buried in the worn, gray material. My arm was strewn on his chest, holding one of his hands. His other arm was wrapped around my body, holding me close. I shifted subtly, adjusting my position to become closer to him, and slightly opened my eyes. I watched him through my curtain of hair as his eyes opened slowly, looking down on me, then tightening his hold on me and grazing his lips on the crown of my head.

He paused before tensing up and widening his eyes. "Shit, sorry Vic," he said sleepily. "Force of habit."

"Don't worry about it," I said, nuzzling his side. "Nine years and you still sound exactly the same when you wake up."

Beck smiled and nudged my foot with his own, "Yeah, well, nine years and you still hog the blanket like we live in Alaska."

"Hey, I could be cold blooded and you could just be really insensitive to my condition," I retorted.

"You? Cold blooded?" he said, craning his neck to meet my eyes. "I wouldn't rule it out." He stretched out his limbs before opening his mouth to speak again. "We should probably get up before Natalie finds us... or worse, Alexis."

"Yeah, we really should," I said, tightening my arms around his waist. "But I don't want to."

"Come on, Vic, it's time to make an exception to the noon rule," he reasoned. "I think this is a worthy enough cause. Do you really want our daughter - or worse, my _sister_- to start asking questions?"

"Five more minutes, please?" I said, looking up to meet his eyes. "Nat isn't one to wake unless she's woken. And Alexis probably drank herself to sleep last night, she won't be up for a while."

Beck scoffed. "Why are you friends with _her_? She's my _sister_."

"That's exactly why. She has all the dirt on you," I retorted in a giggle. "Like, for example, last night, she told me about how you used to gel your hair up, walk around in your mom's pants, and call yourself Elvis."

Beck raised his eyebrows and smiled, shaking his head. "I'm going to get you for that, Miss Vega."

"Oh, are you? I-" Before I could finish, Beck attacked me with his hands, fingers dancing on my sides, tickling me into a giggling fit. "Beck, stop!" I laughed. The sound of a door closing echoed through the house, prompting us to both to freeze in place. I heard light, padding footsteps approaching closer and closer. "Shit, those are Natalie's footsteps," I whispered. I looked around the room, finding no place to conceal Beck. "Pretend you're asleep."

Beck reassumed the position he held the night before, bringing the sheets up to his chin. I sat up slightly next to him as the door creaked opened. "Mommy?" Natalie's small, sleepy voice said. She paused before continuing to enter the room. "Good morning mommy!" She beamed as she climbed the bed, only to find Beck there once she reached the top. Her eyebrows arched and she pointed to her father, speechless.

"Daddy had a nightmare last night, sweetie," I lied. "He came to sleep in mommy's room because he was too scared to sleep alone."

Natalie still looked skeptical. "But he's a grown up. And daddy's not scared of anything! He's a superhero!" I felt Beck's lips curve in a smile into the skin of my arm.

"You're right, sweetie, daddy is a superhero! Just like all your favorites. But don't you remember? Even the Avengers got a little scared when all Loki's aliens were coming from the hole in the sky," I explained. "Everyone gets scared sometimes, even grown ups like me and daddy."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, mommy," Natalie pressed, having something more important to say. "Hey mommy! Don't you think daddy has hair like Loki? Does that mean daddy's gonna send down his aliens to eat us all like 'grr, grr, nom nom!'" Natalie grimaced and held her hands over her head in claws.

"No, you silly girl! Daddy loves us, he wouldn't do that," I laughed. "Why don't you give daddy a big kiss to wake him up?" Natalie grinned and crawled over to Beck's "sleeping" form and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Now go on and make your bed while the grown ups get ready for the day, sweetie." Natalie nodded and scrambled out of the bed and back to her room.

"Does daddy get a wake up kiss from mommy too?" Beck muttered against my skin.

I raised an eyebrow then moved to lay down next to Beck again, facing him. I eyed his lips hungrily and bit my own. I leaned in, almost touching his lips with my own. "Daddy got his chance to kiss mommy last night, but turned her down. So daddy will just have to wait," I teased.

Beck's eyes slanted angrily and he held my gaze for a moment before groaning loudly. "Why did I _do_ that?" He fingered the strands of hair in my face, pushing them behind my ear. "I'm going to go get some pancakes started; I'll meet you downstairs whenever you're done primping- even though you look gorgeous already and you've just woken up. How about a friendly-divorced-couple-teamwork-high five?" Beck suggested, holding up his hand.

"I'll see you there," I said, meeting his hand with mine before we both stood up to start out day.


End file.
